Final home for cultural figures (Ome) -DEC,2024-
Winter has come a little early, and Tokyo has been experiencing dry, sunny weather. Ome's Ontake Shrine is known for its "mountain climbing" image.
I had avoided it in the past, but recently I found out that I could climb it by cable car, so I went there with great enthusiasm. However, from the arrival station, I had to climb even steeper stairs and slopes, which made me reflect on my easy-going belief in divine blessings. When I arrived, I was greeted by lion-like guardian dogs, which are actually white wolves, sacred animals that guided Emperor Yamato Takeru on his eastern expedition. The story of how a white deer hindered Emperor Yamato Takeru's advance and a wolf helped him is reminiscent of the recent problem of pests.
There is a national treasure, a helmet and armor, which are said to have been donated by Shigetada Hatakeyama, and I was looking forward to seeing it, but unfortunately it was closed on weekdays. It was a shame, but I would like to visit again, partly to maintain my health.
This year, I visited the homes and memorial museums of Jiro Shirasu (Machida City) and Saneatsu Mushanokoji (Chofu City), who were evacuated to the suburbs during the war and lived there until the end. In Ome, I also visited the art museum and memorial museum of Gyokudō Kawai and Eiji Yoshikawa. The great Japanese painter and historical novelist chose the mountain village of Ome as their final resting place, and received the Order of Culture in their later years. Ome City offers a mutual discount on admission fees for those visiting both museums, and I ended up paying the full price without realizing it, but both are well worth seeing (I have no regrets). Gyokudō passed away in 1957 and Eiji Yoshikawa passed away in 1962, but it is a blessing to be able to feel the achievements of these masters even today.
The upper reaches of the Tama River flow next to the Gyokudou Museum of Art, and people were enjoying mountain stream fishing and rafting. The scenery reminded me of "Passing Spring" that I previously saw at the Museum of Modern Art, and I felt like I was (albeit only slightly) getting closer to the image of the artist's later years, when he continued to paint old Japanese landscapes. Someday I hope to settle down in a sophisticated room suitable for displaying Gyokudou's paintings...
The Yoshikawa Eiji Memorial Museum is 2-3km down the mountain from the Gyokudou Art Museum, but it is surrounded by a relatively new residential area. From Ome, the single-track Okutama Line runs along the Tama River valley, and it often stops during heavy rain, so I thought it was an inconvenient place, but the environment with close access to beautiful mountains and streams may be comfortable for living after retirement.
Eiji bought a farmhouse built during the Kpka era (late Edo period), and it is said that he wrote the Tale of the Heike, the Taiheiki, and the Suikoden here, and then his final writings.
There are countless works to mention, such as Taikoki, Miyamoto Musashi, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but I think he is a leading author who vividly portrays the heroes that Japanese people love and has influenced the Japanese view of history. I look forward to continued exciting historical novels that can be read and enjoyed as historical dramas.
I visited the nearby Sokuseiji Temple. On the mountain behind the temple, there are stone monuments of the 88 temples that you can visit on the Shikoku pilgrimage. It took about an hour to walk around, but it may be difficult for elderly people with weak legs. Ome is an old post town and there are many things to see in the city, but the mountain areas are also very interesting.
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